About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2021)
The Forest-Blade • ummiEmamielCoimtyLive.com • Swainsboro, Georgia • February 17, 2021 3A Hometown Public Servant: EMS Director Courtney Terwilliger This iweek's Hometown Public Servant is Emanuel Medical Services Director Courtney Terwilliger. Background info on Terwilliger Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Terwilliger relo cated to Emanuel County at the age of five years old. According to Terwilliger, his father was from upstate New York and his mother was a local of Emanuel County. The family resid ed in North Florida where his father worked in the timber business prior to relocating to Emanuel County. "My family moved back to Emanuel County after my grandmother died to help my grandfather with the family farm. I was five years old at the time, so Emanuel County is the only home I have known," Terwilliger said. Family is the reason for Terwilliger's current placement in Emanuel County and why he chose to make Emanuel County his home. "It's about family. My family and my wife's fam ily were all in Emanuel County. The gift of family love is one of God's great est gifts. And, I have been blessed with this gift here in Emanuel County. My wife, Toni, and I have been married for almost 39 years. On various days she has loved me, toler ated me, or resisted (suc cessfully so far) the urge to kill me. She remains the love of my life and my best friend. We have raised two beautiful chil dren, Ivy and Courtney III. We have been blessed to call Emanuel County our home," Terwilliger further stated. Professional Background Terwilliger has been an EMS provider for 44 years and has served in the capacity of direc tor for the past 42 years. Terwilliger spent 10 of those years serving as both EMS Director and County Emergency Management Agency Director. In addi tion, he has also served as Emanuel Medical Center's Continuous Quality Improvement coach and currently handles emer gency preparedness, hazardous materials and coordinates the hospital's security. Apart from serving the local community, Terwilliger also enjoys the partnerships developed with the county and with individuals across the state of Georgia. "I have been encour aged by both the county government and the hos pital administration to fake a leadership role in statewide initiatives. With the assistance of Butch Parrish, the Speaker of the House appointed me to the Georgia Trauma Commission, where I have served for eight years. I chaired the Georgia Association of EMS for 14 years and the State EMS Advisory Council for 16 years. I appreciate the hos pital administration and medical staff's support, particularly Dr. Clifton, EMS medical director. I appreciate the help of the county commissioners and other public safety organi zations in our county. This support has given EMS the ability to serve our com- TERWILLIGER munity better," he stated. Fun fact: Did you know that EMS Director Terwilliger was once certified as a firefighter at the Georgia Safety Training Center? It's true! During a recent inter view zvith Terwilliger, he relayed this information for public knowledge. However, he advised that EMS has been his interest and is why he chose to stay committed to Emergency Medical Services. Education and Training When speaking on what sparked his interest in serving the local commu nity, Terwilliger's reason ings were simple. "I took the EMT course when I was young and single. Instead of spending my nights being unpro ductive, I chose to take the course to learn what to do in an emergency, just for my knowledge and to preoccupy my time two nights a week," Terwilliger reflected. According to Terwilliger, he enjoyed the training and was offered a job, which he took. Today, he states that he realized that it was not his plan, but God's calling. For this rea son, the song "Bless the Broken Road" has a lot of meaning to Terwilliger. "My initial degree was an associate degree in biology. I went to UGA and worked on a degree in forest resources but left before I completed the program. I recently received a BA degree from East Georgia State College in fire and emergency ser vices administration. I am very appreciative to Dr. Lee Cheek and Professor Beverely Walker for devel oping this degree pro gram," Terwilliger stated. Directing EMS Terwilliger states that he enjoys working with a team of professional men and women who serve our community and com mends them all for their superb job performance. "Our local EMS pro fessionals deserve recog nition as public servants. These men and women see things every day that others do not want to see and perhaps could not deal with. They do it in a professional manner, and I am proud to be associat ed with them," Terwilliger stated. "There is no day-to- day routine. The days I "think" I have planned are often "hijacked" by imme diate needs. Most of my duties today are adminis trative, and I attend many meetings and webinars. I remain active on both the regional and state level and serve on several advi sory committees. The pro fession is changing rapid ly, and keeping up with the new opportunities and requirements is challeng ing," Terwilliger ended. EMS Employment Requirements To be hired to work with EMS, one must go through training, take the National Registry exam, and be licensed in Georgia. There is a recertification cycle every two years that requires the medics to complete specific training objectives. In addition to that, all the paramedics with the service are cre- dentialed in two "post-li cense skills." These are the use of an advanced transportation ventilator and the initiation of addi tional units of blood. On board with EMS One thing that the local community, including the medical communi ty, may not understand is the depth and breadth of EMS professionals' skill set. EMS ambulanc es carry state-of-the-art cardiac monitors capable of 12 and 15 lead EKGs. These machines can con nect to the internet in the ambulance and send this information to the hospi tals receiving the patient. The paramedics are skilled at interpreting these EKGs and can take the patient to the most appropriate hospital. The units can monitor oxygen levels, waveform capnography, and non-invasive blood pressure readings. EMS also carries state-of-the-art hospital-grade ventilators, LUCUS II automatic CPR devices, and IV pumps to control medications given. A second factor that is to be recognized for EMS job performance is the change in workload over the years. According to Terwilliger, when he first entered the EMS field, the department ran an average of approxi mately 55 calls per month, with almost all calls trans ferring the patients to Emanuel Medical Center. During last week's inter view with Terwilliger, he highlighted that the EMS record volume for calls in one month is 427. "On an average month, 25 percent of these calls involve a transfer to a more distant hospital. The most challenging issue with this is that we cannot sched ule our calls. We may go for hours without a need and then have four calls come in within five min utes. It makes for a stress ful situation, and COVID- 19 has made it more so," Terwilliger explained. A third item for discus sion with EMS today is the change in weight of EMS patients. "Today, it is common to have patients that weigh over 300 pounds, and we have several that are above 500 pounds. Add to that the stretcher's weight and interject old rickey stairs, and it makes for a very hazardous situation," Terwilliger concluded. Thoughts from Terwilliger to the commu nity in which he serves "First, I would like to thank the community for allowing me to serve in this role. The second com ment is somewhat tongue- in-cheek. I am the second to the last person you want to deal with (the last is the funeral director). I would suggest to the citi zens to put me out of busi ness. To do this, wear your seat belts, keep your blood pressure under control, get checked for diabetes, exer cise, and change your diet. An apple a day may keep the doctor away but does not stop the ambulance." FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP www.EGA.edu/ Correll DEADLINE: MARCH 22 www.EGA.edu SWAINSBORO • STATESBORO • AUGUSTA • ONLINE Bobcat Sp©t goirig o/l M’ tjour komoAv^ri c*olfag<zJ Bobcat Athletics Week in Review: February 7*14 Our Bobcats had a busy week starting with multiple games on February 9. The Lady Bobcat Softball team took on Spartanburg Methodist in a dou ble-header and won both games, with a win of 12 to 4 in Game 1 and a shutout in Game 2 of 9 to 0. The Men's Basketball team then took to the court to fight a hard battle against South Georgia State College. They fell 91 to 79 in a game that stayed close right up until the two-minute mark. Bobcat Baseball entered the diamond against Combine Academy on February 10, kicking off two days of double-headers. The Bobcats came out on top in Game 1 on Wednesday with a score of 5 to 1, then picked up Game 2 in a clean shutout at 12 to 0. On February 11, the Bobcats took Game 1 with a score of 11 to 5, then rounded out the two days of play with a win in Game 2 of 4 to 3. Also on February 11, the Men's Basketball team took to the road to face South Georgia State again, falling 91 to 53. The Bobcats started this week in action with the Men's and Women's Bas ketball teams taking on Albany Tech on February 16. The Lady Bobcat Softball team will be on the road today, February 17, against USC Salke- hatchie in a double-header. Thursday will see the Lady Bobcat Basketball team on the road against Albany Tech, while the Men's Basketball team will take on Gordon State at home at 7:30 p.m. Bobcat Baseball will take to the diamond on Friday against USC Lancaster at noon for a double-header, and Lady Bobcat Softball will be in action for a double-header against Spartanburg Methodist on their turf beginning at 1 p.m. The Lady Bobcats will match up again with Albany Tech on Saturday, this time at home, beginning at 1 p.m., while Men's Basketball will take on Gordon State in Barnesville at 3 p.m. The Bobcats will also have a busy Sunday, with the Lady Bobcat Softball team taking on USC Union in a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. and the Bobcat Baseball team in another double-header against USC Lancaster beginning at 1 p.m. Don't miss any of the action in Bobcat Athletics! At this time, basketball games are still closed to fans, but baseball and softball are allowing specta tors. Please remember to follow all guidelines. W ST4ta-‘)OUR.COU-eO£ OAK3&Z? 12-lfiJmK T5£M ££0WS 4[A#.Oli5l Upcoming Events: February 17 - Black History Month Trivia with Student Life - 11 a.m. Black History Month Trivia Game Show with AAMI - 6 p.m. February 18 - Men’s Home Basketball Game* - 7:30 p.m. February 19 - 12 Week Session Drop for Non-Payment February 20 - Women’s Home Basketball Game* - 1 p.m. February 21 - Baseball Home Game - Double Header - 12 p.m. February 22 - 26 - Add Back for Non-Payment - 12 Week Session Only February 23 - BCM Club Meeting - 10:45 a.m. Criminal Justice Club Meeting - 1 p.m. *Due to COVID-19 concerns, no fans or spectators are allowed at home athletic events for basketball. Fans are allowed at home baseball and softball games, but must observe all rules. For more information on EGSC’s schedule and response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, visit www.ega.edu/COVID19 T>iA you A-bbu\A classes A-b EOSCA* Join our AluMrti AssodAbioti! CsoftbAcJr Kaw1 -ho A Ay A-b k.gu-Hi/’iiT&iqA.Q/Au WWW. EGA • EDU SWAINSBORO • STATESBORO • AUGUSTA • ONLINE
